Clutch



E. E. WEMP CLUTCH Filed Dec. 24. 1923 I 2 shun-shut 1 g n 0214f 04; 50853 .E Maw E. E. WEMP Nov. W 1925- CLUTCH Filed Dec. 24, 1923 2 Shuts-Sheet 2 maI 1 E kw (Jfkoznu Patented Nov; 10, 1925.

' ERNEST E. OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CLUTCH.

Application med December 24, 1923. Serial m 682,446.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST E. WEMP, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of \Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clutches and has for its object an improved and simplified clutch especially designed for automobiles, but which will obviously have a. broader application. It is the object of the invention toprovide a clutch assembly which entirely eliminates a cover plate. In place of the usual cover plate or abutment plate, a plurality of hollow posts are used in conjunction with pressure-transmitting levers.

. These hollow posts, the thrust ring, the pressure-transmitting levers, and the clutch spring are so arranged by reason of a permissible lost motion that in letting in the clutch the direct spring pressure is gradually'exerted upon the clutch discs and then secondly a multiplied pressure due to a system of levers. Likewise in releasing the clutch, first the heavy multiplied pressure is released and then the direct but weaker pressure of the spring is gradually released, thereby securing an easier action in clutching and declutching. This will more fully appear when a complete detailed description of my improved clutch is given.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the clutch. v

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section showing the lost motion connection when the clutch is engaged.

Fig. 4 is a similar section when the clutch is disengaged.

The fly wheel is designated a and forms one of the engaging clutch faces. The other driving clutch face is furnished by an iron casting b which forms the thrust ring. A driven disc 0 intervenes between the two driving members and is provided with the usual clutch facings d. This driven clutch member preferably has a. web ortion which is annularly corrugated as s own in the drawings. This is more fully described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 682,445. Inasmuch as it forms no part of my present invention, the same is not here claimed. I

A clutch collar e is supported on the thrust ball bearings f. This clutch collar is provided with an upturned flange e, which engages with the power arms 9 of the pressure-transmitting levers h. The large spiral spring 2' engages between the thrust ring and the smaller ring j which bears against the power arm ends of the levers.

These levers h are fulcrumed on the hollow posts is. These posts are bored at m and counterbored at n on each side to form seats for the two stamped metal strips that together form the arm. It will be seen from examining Fig. 2, that each arm is made up of two stampings. The two stampings strad-,

dle the post and are provided with enlarged sectors 0 near their outer ends. These sectors 0 form rockers on which the levers rock on their fulcrums, the fulcrums being the posts. Theouter ends of the levers are bolted with the bolt p to a special automatic screw machine Stud 7. The reduced and bored outer'end of this stud can be turned over as at q to rivet the stud to the iron thrust member. This riveting of the end of the stud over as at q unites the thrust ring,

the clutch spring, the posts, the levers, the

thrust collar, the ball bearings, and the appurtenant thrust-transmitting members from the clutch pedal into a unit of assembly. Now all that is necessary to do to mount the clutch on the job is to slip the splined sleeve t onto the splined end 14- of the driven shaft, after the unit assembly has already been assembled onto the shaft. The cap screws '0 may then be passed through the hollow posts and turned into the tapped sockets in the fly wheel. This assembles the posts on the fly wheel. The posts are provided with reduced and extended ends to for centering the posts in the counter-bored holes a: 'in the fly wheel. These posts take the place of the ordinary driving studs that are required with the usual clutch assembly. The cover plate is wholly eliminated as the lever: are mounted on the studs inplace of on the cover plate.

It will be apparent that when the unit assembly is removed from the fly wheel by turning out the cap screws '11 that the clutch springi can force the thrust ring I) outwardly only a small distance, as obviously the levers h will cramp in their sockets n Now as to the operation of the clutch: The clutch here shown is one that requires an inward thrust to disengage the clutch discs. Such an inward thrust'is communicated to the thrust member 3 by the lever z. This forces the clutch collar 6 in against the coil spring 11. The levers it rock on the posts and pull the studs r outwardly, thereby releasing the thrust ring and declutching. In letting in the clutch, the operator of course lets the lever a turn backward, clockwise. This gradually lets in first the direct pressure of the spring 11 and gradually lets in the multiplied pressure that is transmitted through the levers h. By reason of the enlarged hole l, through the stud 1', there is enough lost motion so that the direct pres-' sure and the multiplied pressure is not coincidently applied or released. For instance, in letting the clutch in, this clearance of about of an inch gives a of inch lost motion. The direct clutch spring is free to immediately thrust the discs together. However, the levers must move through of an inch at their load ends, and if the levers are of a 5 to 1 ratio, they have to move through of an inch at their power ends before they will become effective. In other words, this small amount of lost motion provided at the load end of the lever permits the main clutch spring only to exert a direct pressure, while the clutch collar e is travel ing through of an inch. The range of this independent action of the direct pressure may be altered by altering the clearance between the walls of the hole through the stud and the pin 2. Similarly, when the clutch is released, the clutch collar may travel through about of an inch of movement before it will become effective upon the direct pressure. When this lost motion is translated into the movement of the clutch pedal, it will be multiplied somewhere in the neighborhood of 501, making the foot travel about 1 inches in which the direct spring pressure is independent of the indirect multiplied spring pressure. This gives a long range of weak spring action in clutching and declutching so as to make the action easy and smooth.

In the claims I have found it desirable to refer to the thrust member as one of the driving members, for in the construction shown, it so functions. However, it might be simply a thrust member with another driving member substituted to furnish its driving function. This is of course well within my invention, and I want it understood that such variations come within the purport ofiny claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a clutch, the combination of driving and driven members that have faces adapted to engage and including a thrust member, pressure multiplying levers, and a clutch ber, and a spring connected with the levers,

said levers having a lost motion .connection with the thrust member, and the said spring arranged also to thrust directly on the thrust member, whereby in declutchingithe multiplied pressure is first relieved and then the direct pressure, and vice versa.

3. In a clutch, the combination of driving and driven members provided with faces arranged .to engage including a thrust ring, fixed posts, levers fulcrumed on said fixed posts, lost motion connections between the load ends of the levers and the thrust ring, and a clutch spring thrusting between the power ends of the levers and the thrust ring and arranged so that when the clutch is disengaged the multiplied indirect pressure is first relieved and then the direct pressure, and in letting in the clutch the converse action takes place.

4;. In a clutch, the combination of driving and driven members provided with faces arranged to engage and including a thrust ring, studs supported on the thrust ring, postshaving' a fixed relation, levers for mult-iplying the pressure fulcrumed on said posts and having lost motion connections with said studs, and a clutch 5 ring thrusting between the power ends of e levers and the thrust ring whereby in declutching the indirect and multiplied pressure is first relieved and then the direct pressure of the spring, and in engaging the clutch the converse action takes place.

5. In a. clutch, thecombination of driving and driven members rovided with faces adapted to engage an including a thrust ring, a plurality of driving posts passing through the thrust ring and secured to one of the driving members, and having approximately circular sockets cut out of their sides, pressure transmitting levers of the first order fulcrumed in said out out sides of the posts and having their projecting ends tied to the thrust ring, and a spring for exertingpressure on the power ends of said levers.

.6. In a-clutch, the combination of driving and driven members rovided with faces adapted to engage an including a thrust ring, a plurality of hollow posts passing through the thrust ring, cap screws bolting the posts to one ofthe driving members, a plurality of levers fulcrumed on said hollow posts and tied to the thrust ring, and a spring for exerting pressure on the power ends of the levers.

'fulcrumed on said posts, and a clutch mo em ends of the levers.

8. In a clutch, the combination of driving and driven members rovided with faces adapted to engage and including a thrust ring, driving posts supported on one of the driving members and assing' through the thrust ring, said posts red to form seats and stops, and pressm-e levers having enlarged sectors near their outer ends which are seated in said bored portions oi the posts.

9. In a clutch, the combination of driving and driven memhrs rovided with faces adapted to engage an including a thrm member, posts paming througkhthe'thrust member and engaging remova ly'with one of the driving members, a lurality of levers fulcrumed directly on said posts and tied to said thrust member, and a spring between ,the power ends of said levers an the thrust member.

10. In a. clutch, the combination of driving and drivenmembers provided with faces adapted to en e and inclu nings in the thrust member and removly engaging one of the' other driv fi members, a plurality of levers .fulcrum directly on said posts and having a lost motion tie connection with said thm member, and a spring thrusting between the power ends of said lever and the thrust member. g

ll. In a clutch, the combination of driviugaud driven members, a. plurality of drivin posts that are arr I ed to be removab y attached to the one I iving memher, a plurality of pressure-transmitt' levers tied to another driving member an thrustin tfii on said levers, said fposts g arran to stop the throw 0 the levers beyond a given point whereby the levers,

' passing through the hollow a. thrust member, a plurality of posts passed throughv the sprin the posts, the ties and the drivmg mom r connected with the ties con;- stitute an -en lheld together by the levers and the associated mrs.

12.'In a clutch, the combination with a forward driving member of a sub ly comprising a. rear driving'rmember, a driv-, mg post adapted to pass eely through the rear drivin secured to t e forward drivingmember, a lever pivo to the post, a stud secured to the load end of the lever and which is secured to the rear driving n.- her d means exerting ressure on e over which tends to throw I e driving members together for the purpose of engaging a. driven'disc.

13. In a clutch, the combination with a forward driving member of a sub-assembly comprising a. hollow driving post, means rmovably securing the same to the driving member, a. rear member through which the post freely passes, a lever fulcrumed on the st, a stud secured to the load end of e lever and which is secured to the r driving member, and means thruming een the lever and the rear. driving member for forcing the drive; members towards each other, the said i assembly being arranged to sto such thrust be and a given limit to hod the parts of t e ly together.

14. In a clutch, the sub-bly comprisingwaghollow driving post having its sides cut out to form fulcrum sockets, said posts being eaple of attachment to a -driv-' mg member by m of cap screws p through the center, a lever made u of a pair of stri s connected together an havmg enlarge portions arranged to fit in the sockets in the mdm'ottho post to'form a fulcrum, md a tie secured to the loadpoint of the lever which may be secured to another driving mom.

15. In a clutch, a sub-assembly comprisev ing a driving p arranged to be anchored to one of the w members, a lever fulcrumed on the post, and a tie or stud secured to the load point oi the lever by a lost motion connection for the purpose of causing the t and indirect pressure or the clutch to be independently applied or reld.

. In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature. r

'ltRNES'l E. WEMP.

mr and be removably 

